


Not Just Fiction

by thewriterpoe



Category: SHINee, f(x)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, side!Jongtae, side!kryber, side!onkey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-04
Updated: 2015-10-10
Packaged: 2018-04-24 17:53:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 17,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4929403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewriterpoe/pseuds/thewriterpoe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Avery Talbot couldn’t believe it. Jock God Choi Minho was standing in front of her…and she was holding, in a death grip, a copy of an underground yaoi manga, whose main character shared an uncanny resemblance with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Periods and Other Feminine Discharge

**Author's Note:**

> This fanfic is a first of many: first Minho fic, first f(x) fic, first chaptered fic. We'll see how it goes.

      Avery felt as if her eyes had taken up all the space on her face as she flipped through the latest volume of the Cecil Wilde sports themed manga ‘Locker Room’. More of a monthly zine, it consisted of five feature stories produced by the K.U. manga club. She was trying really hard not to let her fan girl scream rip through the dingy off-campus coffee shop but some of it slipped out the corners of her mouth in a high-pitch frequency only dogs could hear – and maybe the guy at the table adjacent to hers. He had the facial features of a dachshund. Still, she had to be careful not to attract too much attention. The content she reading wasn’t exactly safe for public viewing. Stealing a final glance around the shop, Avery folded into herself to take in the graphic locker room scene between sports hero Marcus Cullen and his rival Simon Ward – Marcus giving Simon a congratulatory blowjob.

      "Excuse me," a deep voice and gentle tap on her shoulder called her back to the real world. Avery literally jumped out her seat, banging her knees on the low table and breaking the general hum of the coffee shop with an ungainly noise. She slammed the manga shut and tried not to look guilty as she looked up at the person who had interrupted her.

      "I'm sorry," the voice continued, coming around to face her and she just about died. 

      _Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God!_ The words repeated in her head like a litany as she took in the coiffed dark hair, GQ cover looks, and Men’s Health Cover physic of K.U’s two time College Athlete of the Year, Choi Minho. She couldn’t believe it. Jock God Choi Minho was standing in front of her…and she was holding, in a death grip, a copy of an underground manga, whose main character shared an uncanny resemblance with him.

      "I was wondering what you are reading that’s so interesting. It’s manga, right? I don’t think I’ve seen it before."

      "Erm..." Language failed Avery. Minho was smiling at her and although her mouth opened, words were not coming out.

      He cocked his head to the side in the most adorable expression of confusion and asked if she spoke English. She was tempted to say 'no hablo ingles' but Minho was known to get on famously with Key who knew five languages. It would be her luck that he spoke more Spanish than she did.

      "I speak English," she managed to croak out. Korean as well but she didn’t volunteer this information.  

      Minho smiled again, somewhat relieved. “I don’t see a lot of girls reading manga,” he said. “It must be really good. My friend and I have been watching you for the past twenty minutes and your expressions have been priceless.” He nodded in the direction of coffee bar where none other than Kim ‘Key’ Kibum waved at her.

      Avery’s eyes bugged out momentarily and she tried not to panic as a particularly raunchy scene between Marcus and his best friend, Kieran, flashed before her eyes. She realized that Minho was still waiting for an answer when a look of concern crossed his face.

      "It's alright," She blurted, deciding to play it cool although failing miserably.

      Minho smiled again, somewhat relieved that she wouldn’t ignore him. “What’s it about?” he asked peering at her lap to glean at the title. There would be no title for him to see with the manga almost balled up in her hand. Still, she panicked, stuffing it in her backpack.

      "Women's stuff," she replied. "Periods and other feminine discharge." That usual shut conversations down and she couldn’t help but laugh at the look of abject terror on his face.

      His expression changed at the sound, softened, though he wasn’t sure if she was teasing him. Still, he decided that it was a good sign. "Do you mind if I sit?"

      "What about your friend?" She asked, her eyes traveling to Key.

      "Is that your polite way of saying 'go away'?"

      "It's my polite way of saying 'bros before hoes'." She didn’t know why she said that, nervousness perhaps. Her mouth had a terrible habit of spurting nonsense when she was uncomfortable. She started laughing but stopped, suddenly conscious of how shrill the sound was.

      Minho looked confused. "You're weird," he declared.

      "More than you think," she admitted with a wry smile.

      "I'm Choi Minho, by the way," he extended his hand.

      She shook it, wanting to say ‘I know who you are’ in her sexiest Bond girl voice but nothing came out.

      He frowned slightly when she only smiled, not giving her name. "Well, I'll let you get back to your reading," he said, backing away from the table. "Be sure to say hi when we bump into each other next time say next Monday 11p.m.?"

      "Smooth," she clicked her tongue mimicking the sound of a loading gun but didn’t shoot love bullets at him – she was weird not cheesy. He winked at her before returning to Key.

 

 


	2. Different Species

     The Obscure Cup coffee shop lived up to it name. It was hidden between a Subway restaurant and the off-campus bookstore. Avery always wondered how it managed to stay in business since it was guaranteed to be deserted. In the beginning, she had a theory about it probably being a laundry front for drug money but the owner, Onew, was a hot nerd with some serious undercover dominant vibes, and he was her friend – well, not friend _friend_ (she wished) more like friendly – so she didn’t flesh that theory out. She later found out that the shop made its money from the shelves of comics and manga in the back room.

      Avery wasn’t going to go to the coffee shop on Monday 11p.m. because that would have been two hours past her bed time. And surely Minho couldn’t have been serious about meeting up because jocks didn’t go to places where nerds congregated – not on purpose at least. He was probably just teasing. But just in case, Avery sat at the same table in the same jacket she wore when she first met him. She felt pretty stupid when half past midnight rolled around and there was no sighting of the athlete. Of course he was just teasing her. What would the Jock God want with a weirdo manga reading nerd? He probably told his friends about how he flustered some random girl but joke was on him; she wasn’t flustered by his lame pick up line - ‘Say hi when we see each other next Monday’. No. She was flustered because she was almost caught reading a dirty manga about him and his teammates. And what’s more, she was involved in the making of that dirty manga about him and his teammates.

      As she packed her things into her backpack, Avery scolded herself for that moment of unguarded foolishness. And what was worse, she hadn’t even been studying for the physics test she had in seven and half hours.

      “You came?”

      Avery looked up and saw Minho push through the door just as she swung her bag over her shoulder. He sounded surprised and pleased and smug all at the same time.

 _And waited,_ she thought angrily but didn’t say it because she would feel even more pathetic than she already did.

      “I’m really sorry I’m late. Practice ran long. We have a game Thursday night.”

      “I figured as much.”

      “It went so well,” he followed her out the coffee shop, completely missing or ignoring her flat tone. “I beat my record for free throws.”

      “Great!” Avery said. It was then that he caught on to her tone – or at least acknowledged it.

      “Again, I’m sorry,” he said softly.

      Avery accepted his apology with a shrug.

      “So what are we doing?” he asked, rubbing his hands together excitedly.

      “I don’t know what _you’re_ doing but _I’m_ going to bed.”

      “What?” he whined. “But I just got here.”

      “Well, I’ve been here,” She returned in a clipped tone.

      “I’m sorry,” he said again, suddenly guarded and she felt bad for snapping at him.

      “No, I’m sorry,” she returned. “I’m just tired and stressed. Been studying for a test tomorrow morning.” _Liar!_ Her conscience roared.

      “Oh! That’s cool. Maybe we can hangout another time,” he suggested hopefully.

      “Why?”

      She hadn’t meant to say it out loud but she was suddenly feeling guilty about the way he was looking at her. He wasn’t anything like the cold, arrogant douche bag the manga made him out to be. _It’s just fiction,_ she snapped at her conscience.

      “I don’t know. Just to hang out and get to know each other,” Minho replied like it was the most oblivious thing in the world. He mostly sounded casual but there was a hint of something else in his voice.

      She stopped walking and looked him in the eye. “Is this some kind of bet with your friends? Get the otaku girl to fall for you.” It had crossed her mind that he was playing with her. The trope was common in shojo mangas. And it wouldn’t be the first time that happened. Avery considered herself cute but by no means in any league that would inspire the interest of someone like Choi Minho.

      Minho bristled at the accusation. “What? No. That’s high school. I wouldn’t do that.

      Avery fixed him with an appraising look. He seemed to be telling the truth. But it didn’t matter either way. It wasn’t a good idea to hangout. He could find out about the manga and her role in it. Or if he didn’t she’d have to give it up – creative integrity and whatnot.

      “Look, obviously you’re a great looking guy and I’m beyond flattered but I don’t see things working out. We’re two completely different people.”

      Minho visibly deflated but he tried not to look disappointed. "Why does it sound like you're breaking up with me?" he joked. Then: “What’s to work out? I mean it’s not like we’re a completely different species. Sure, we have different interests but that’s what makes this interesting. Key and I are completely different people but we work out.”

      “Key was junior water sports champion,” she returned immediately but regretted it because of the surprised look on Minho’s face. Not many people know about fashionista Key’s sports past.

      “We both love manga,” Minho offered.

      Avery smiled. “Why are you trying so hard?” She wondered, kicking at her feet.

      “Why are you fighting so hard?” he returned, mimicking her foot work.

      She scowled at him. He smiled at her.

      “I don’t want to hang out with you.” Avery looked him in the eye as she said this so there would be no confusion, no second guesses. Even though she didn’t want to hurt him, rejection was in the end better than betrayal.

      “Fair enough,” he said after swallowing thickly. "It was really nice meeting you." He held out his hand. She shook it.

      "Goodbye, Choi Minho.”

      “Be sure to come to the game and cheer us on.”

      “Go tigers!” she waved a pair of imaginary pom-poms in the air.

      “We’re the fighting warthogs,” he corrected her with a chuckle, but of course she knew that since he’d seen her at almost every one of their games.

      Avery just shrugged and started walking away.   _Be cool, man. Don't look back, don't look back._ She looked back and walked right into a lamp post. Luckily, Minho had his back to her and didn’t see it. The peddle cart vendor, on the other, came out of nowhere and didn’t even try to hide the fact that he was laughing at her.


	3. Afternoon Delight

       Avery felt good about her decision for the next couple of days. Then she started doubting her sanity because who in the world would turn down the opportunity to hang out with a very hot and apparently very nice boy? Her dumbass, that who. It wasn’t as though they would have even ended up falling in love or anything. It was doubtful they’d end up even getting along.

      _Fucking ethics!_ She cursed as she banged her head on the table till she got a headache.

      “So you agree with me?” Amber, her roommate, said sticking her tongue out at Krystal who completed their lunch table threesome.

      Avery didn’t even know what the other two hand been arguing about for the last fifteen minutes. “What?”

      “You don’t even know what we’ve been arguing about for the last fifteen minutes, do you?” Amber grumbled.

      “That’s what I said,” Avery smarted.

      Amber rolled her eyes.

      “What’s with her?” Krystal asked when Avery went back to banging her head on the table.

      “I dunno,” Amber shrugged chewing on her double cheese burger. “She’s been like this since the Physics test.”

      Avery groaned because of course she failed her Physics test. She should have just taken Chemistry to fulfill her science requirement, despite the trauma of a badly executed experiment that left her right eye brow thinned and a scar on her forehead. “I need a drink.”

      “It’s like one in the afternoon,” Krystal intoned incredulously.

      “It’s like five o’clock somewhere,” Avery mimicked earning her a flash of silver as Krystal stuck her tongue out at her. “Besides, it is college night and I wanna hit 6th street before it gets packed.”

      “Eww,” Amber and Krystal shuddered in unison. The three of them had decided to visit 6th street one time – to get the whole college experience. Krystal got groped, Avery got threw-up on, and Amber got a black eye when she got caught up in the middle of a bar brawl.

      “That’s a hard pass for me,” Amber said. Krystal nodded.

      “Whatever, it’s not like I was asking you,” Avery grumbled pushing back on her chair. It made a terrible screeching sound, catching the attention of half the cafeteria.

 

      Avery’s first stop was Mavericks. She found out the other day that Onew liked to go there and for some reason she wanted him to notice her. For five dollars she got four vodka sprites. Apparently, there was a secret special called Afternoon Delight where drinks were half the happy hour prices. Onew was there but it was like she didn’t even exist. Maybe he had a thing against fraternizing with his coffee shop patrons. _Whatever_. She downed her last drink and gave the bartender a five dollar tip.

      The next stop was the Cork Screw. Their happy hour had just started so there weren’t a lot of people in the bar. It could also have been that most of the student body was at the basketball game.

      “Hey nerd!”

      Avery rolled her eyes, recognizing the sing-song tone of Kim Jonghyun’s voice.

      “Hey jerk!” she returned playfully. The two of them had a creative writing class together – him majoring in songwriting, she majoring in creative fiction. He’d been cocky lately because the focus of the class of poetry and he was amazingly good at it.

      Other than Amber and Krystal, he was the only person she could converse with like a normal person, and mostly because they talked about writing. Everyone else made her nervous and her random bouts of verbal diarrhea only served to alienate her more.

      Avery didn’t have the best verbal communication skills. She grew in a silent house as the only child of two deaf parents. She didn’t learn to talk till she was five years old and was held back in pre-school because the administration thought she was ‘slow’.

      “Fancy seeing you here. What? Has your episode of Naruto not come out yet?”

      Avery laughed sarcastically since he was the one who liked Naruto. “What are you doing here?”She asked sliding into the booth across from him.

      “Got a gig,” he replied nodding his head towards the open mic corner where some equipment for an acoustic session was set up.

      “Ah.”

      He leaned in gratuitously. “If you want, I can dedicate a song just for you.”

      “You think that all it takes to make me cream my pants?”

      Jonghyun drew back in his seat. He looked shocked, scandalized even. The Avery he knew was serious and childishly competitive. He peered at her as though trying to determine if she could be drunk at four o’clock in the afternoon.

      Avery was embarrassed. She didn’t know what made her say that because she was passed feeling nervous around Jonghyun. Sure he was attractive and his puppy-dog routine was disarming but he was gay and dating a ridiculously hot guy from the dance department.

      “I may have had a drink or two,” she confessed sheepishly.

      Jonghyun laughed at her. “A lush? I like that.”

      Right then, the booth behind her cheered. Avery turned to see what had caused it and saw Minho on the left side of the television monitor with a chart of his stats on the right.

      “Urgh!” she turned back promptly.

      “Not a fan?” Jonghyun asked, his voice taking a teasing lilt.

      “Absolutely not,” Avery said firmly. It surprised her how strongly she reacted because there was no reason to think that Jonghyun meant Minho and not college basketball, or basketball in general. Just in case, she added: “Not really into sports.”

      Jonghyun had an odd look on his face as he watched her. It seemed like he wanted to say something but thought better of it. “Stay for my gig?” he asked. When she looked like she was trying to come up with an excuse not to, he added, “Drinks on me.”

      That made the decision for her. “Yeah,” she said, smiling brightly.

      Avery was glad she stayed for his show. Jonghyun was really talented. She also got to meet Taemin, his boyfriend, who was _extremely_ friendly. She didn’t remember much of the night. Somewhere in the middle of Jonghyun’s second set, a shot of tequila was thrust in her hand and it was a known fact that tequila was the devil.

 

 


	4. Tequila is the Devil

      Avery was surprised she was alive let alone standing upright at 8a.m. as she placed her order for a tall macchiato with an extra shot of espresso. From the look Key was giving her, she wasn’t the only one surprised.

      “Man, I feel rough,” she commented absent-mindedly.                                        

      “You look rough,” Key agreed, handing her drink.

      _Wait, what?_ Why was Key serving her drinks at the Obscure Cup? She squinted at him, finally recognizing the olive green of the coffee shop’s apron.

      “Are you okay?” Key asked, his eyes shiny with amusement. “You were pretty out of it last night.” Avery gaped at him. _Last night?_ “You kept going on and on about a Physics test,” Key continued.

      Avery felt like shrinking into the invisible shell that made her shoulders hunch over grotesquely. She started hyperventilating because if she didn’t dream that part then she didn’t dream Minho sitting across from her, pointedly ignoring her.

      _Shit!_ An acute pinch of dread twisted at her chest. What if she said something… stupid? She remembered the ‘cream my pants’ comment she made to Jonghyun and cringed. What if she said something about Marcus Cullen?

      “Are you okay?” Key asked, peering at her with sudden alarm on his face.

      “Fine,” Avery hissed, snatching her drink and bolting out the door.

      She should have been heading in the direction of her class, which she was fifteen minutes late for, but she went back to the dorms instead. She didn’t notice the covers of Amber’s bed jump when the door bounced against the wall and slammed shut after her. She headed to the toilet, run the tap, and screamed ‘fuck’ at her mirror reflection.

      “Why didn’t you tell me you know Choi Minho?” Amber barged into the bathroom with the same gusto Avery had entered their room.

      Avery stumbled back and landed on the toilet, clutching her chest. “Fuck, you scared the shit out of me,” Avery grumbled, glaring at the twinkle of amusement on Amber’s eyes.

      Amber completely ignored her. “Imagine the look on my face when Jock God, Choi Minho aka Marcus Cullen of ‘Leave it all on the floor’ waltzes in our dorm room with none other than Tequila Lightweight in his arms.”

      ‘Leave it on the floor’ was the story that Avery and Amber, aka AA battery, produced for the ‘Locker Room’. Amber did the art while Avery did the story and layout.

      Avery’s jaw dropped to her lap. _What the fuck happened last night?_

      Krystal’s head popped up above Amber’s. “Trust me, it was nothing compared to the look on his face.”

      “Oh my God, were you guys fucking? Is that why my duvet covers smelled of…sex?”

      Amber looked guilty. “Don’t change the subject. Krystal and I are in a long-term committed relationship and yes we fuck (sometimes on your bed) but that’s what people in committed relationships do.”Avery opened her mouth to protest but Amber cut her off. “You on the other hand, what the fuck were you doing with the main character of your manga?”

      “ _Our_ manga,” Avery growled.

      “Sure, it’s only _our_ manga when shit’s about to hit the fan,” Amber countered in her ‘mom’ voice much to Avery’s annoyance and Krystal’s amusement.

_So that’s how I got home last night._ Avery vaguely remembered throwing up in an alley and crying to someone or no one that she wanted to go home. She assumed it was Jonghyun or Taemin since they are the only people she remembered meeting last night.

      “So what? You just happened to meet him on 6th street last night?”

      “Um,” Avery started coming up with a lie but she was taking too long.

      “What the fuck, Avery?” Amber shrieked. “Does he know about the manga?”

      “No, of course not. Not really,” she amended.

      It always freaked Avery out how high Amber’s left eyebrow could rise.

      “He saw me reading the sample copy at the coffee shop and asked about it,” she confessed cautiously. More alarming than Amber’s eyebrow trick was her eye ball expansion. “I swear he didn’t see anything,” Avery added firmly.

      Amber leaned back against the bathroom threshold, chewing the inside of her cheek thoughtfully. “So what now?”

      “Nothing,” Avery answered. “Nothing at all. It was a one off thing. It’s not like we’re even gonna meet again.” _Liar_ , her conscience roared.

      “Because it would be weird doing the manga if he’s …”

      “Like I said,” Avery interjected. “Nothing at all. Now get out. I need to take a shit.”


	5. The Tool Shed

      Avery successfully avoided anything Minho for a whole week, which wasn’t hard since they didn’t go around in the same circles. She should have been looking for him to thank him for getting her home but she was too embarrassed. She even managed to get Key’s work schedule on a 0.001 percent chance that Minho would be there. She wasn’t the only one unhappy by that addition to the Obscure Cup staff. The otaku brotherhood complained bitterly about the gaggle of girls that gathered at the shop whenever Key worked. Avery joined them at first but then Onew fixed her with a steely stare one time and she just about came. There was something accusatory in that look and it made her uncomfortable.

      So Avery found a piece of less traveled ground behind the English building to spend her free time whenever Key worked in the coffee shop. It was lovely and unfortunately short-lived.

      “What are you doing?”                                                                                                            

      Avery froze. Not only did she know how she must look sun-bathing like a squirrel but she recognized the voice. She had finally been caught. She didn’t like the teasing glint in his eyes so maybe it didn’t come out the way she wanted when she asked, “What do you want?”

      The playfulness in Minho's fell. “Oh, I don’t know a bit of gratitude for getting you home safe for starters,” he returned in a clipped tone.

      Avery seemed taken aback by his anger but recovered with a part scowl, part pout. This was really hard for her. “Thanks,” she ground out painfully.

      “So sincere,” he sneered, rolling his eyes.

      “Hey! This is embarrassing for me,” she whined petulantly. “Why are you being mean to me?”

      “Maybe because you said you don’t want to hang out with me but suddenly you’re at my bar and on my grass.”

      Avery’s anger flared up. “I’m not like stalking you or anything. It just happened. God, you’re so full of yourself. And what? Your bar? Your grass? I didn’t see your name anywhere.”

      Minho burst into a fit of giggles at that. Avery almost broke into a smile. Even to her ears she sounded ridiculous. When she turned away to hide her face, he playfully grabbed at her waist to tickle her. She pushed him back so hard he fell on his ass. He laughed outright at the look on her face.

      “Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” she apologized.

      “It’s nothing. Really,” he assured her, rubbing his hips.

      She still felt bad, hovering over him uselessly.

      “You see, it’s not that bad,” he said.

      He wasn’t showing her anything so she was confused. “What?”

      “Hanging out with me,” he said softly.

      Avery grimaced. “It’s complicated,” she said.

      “Why? You like me.”

      Avery grimaced again. “Did I say that…that night?”

      “Pretty much,” Minho lied and he looked like he lied. “Okay not in so many words but I caught you staring at me a couple of times.”

      “So you’re good looking,” Avery blurted out, disgruntled. She caught herself before she added the follow up lyric to the Shania Twain hit song.

      The way he smiled at her made her think he was thinking the same thing. “So a couple of friends are going to a _norebang_ tonight. You should come with.”

      The invitation was delivered so casually she almost considered accepting it. “I have a thing,” she said vaguely.

      “A thing?” he pursed his lips, skeptical.

      “Yeah, a thing,” she repeated.

      “Look, if you hate it after five – ten minutes then I’ll accept that you don’t want to hang out with me,” he offered.

      “Just accept it now,” she countered.

      He sighed. “Ok, but if you change your mind we’ll be at the Tool Shed around nine.”

      _The Tool Shed?_ That surprised her. She couldn’t even picture Minho accidentally being at a gay bar. That’s how she convinced herself to ‘just happen upon’ the place. _Are you out of your mind?_ Her conscience screamed. Amber would have screamed that too if Avery told her where she was going but as it was, her roommate was too distracted sucking the air out of her girlfriend’s lungs to notice that Avery was wearing her good jeans, the ones that made her butt look ‘delicious’. Anyway, it was only 8:40. She was just going to have a look around and then leave.

      That was the plan, at least, before a waiter in criminally tight jeans passed by her carrying a drink that had her name all over it.

      “I want one of those,” she told the lime-haired bartender, pointing to the swirls of red, white, and blue disappearing around a corner.

      “A Captain America?” the man smiled.

      She nodded vehemently.

      “Make that two,” someone behind her ordered and suddenly there were arms curling around her waist.

      She twisted out of the embrace and was met with two sharp, kohl-lined eyes.

      “Key?” she gasped. And right behind him was Onew looking like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

      “Minho said you weren’t coming,” Key said pulling away from her and drawing close to Onew.

      “Oh!” Avery replied airily, “Was that tonight?” Her eyes just about popped out their sockets when Key stroked Onew’s thigh. She tried not to stare but the scowl on Onew’s face told her she was failing.  

      Key chuckled. Whether it was at Avery’s lame answer or her reaction to his skinship with Onew was unclear.

      “What do you want to drink, Jinki?”

      “Jinki?” Avery shrieked.

      “Ah,” Key exclaimed looking at Onew apologetically. “You didn’t know his real name was Jinki.”

      “No,” Avery answered, hiding her smirk as she took a sip of her colorful drink. “Oh!” she moaned. “Fuck me sideways this is good.” She thought she had said that in her head but the way Key and Onew – Jinki – were looking at her, she obviously didn’t. She quickly fished out the eight dollars for the drink, slamming it down on the counter for a quick exit.

      Key slid the money back her way. “Put it on my tab,” he told the bartender then grabbed her by the wrist, leaving Onew to bring the drinks.

      “Where are we going?” Avery asked, trying to wretch free from his vice-like grip. He only gave her a loaded smirk before pushing through the first door in a corridor of many doors.

      “Look what I found,” Key announced, pushing her forward. She almost tripped, catching herself on the low table full of drinks.

      A chorus of yay! and Avery! greeted her. There were three people she didn’t recognize: two girls and a boy. Minho, Taemin and Jonghyun were also present. Avery thought back to the night at The Cork Screw and the odd look Jonghyun had given her.  _This is bad,_ she thought. _This is very bad_. Jonghyun and Minho were friends which should have been obvious from the night at The Cork Screw but it only just occurred to her. Avery’s vision tunneled in on the wall ahead of her, and her ears filled with the vacuum sound of silence.

      “Hey,” a hand touched her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

      Avery sucked in air to make her ears pop. Minho was looking at her with worry so she smiled at him and said, “Hi!”

      He frowned slightly but returned the greeting nonetheless, adding “I’m glad you came.”

      “Yeah,” she nodded. “But I can’t stay long. I have a thing.”

      “A thing,” he repeated.

      Avery sat down on the chair next to her. Minho followed her. He was awkward, like he was trying to think of things to say to her or maybe wanting to ask why she looked off a moment ago. He only had until she finished her drink, which she was sipping fast, before she would announce her imminent departure. Luckily for him, Taemin had stopped sucking Jonghyun’s face long enough to convince her to sing the next song with him.


	6. Kissing Technique

      “Are you having fun?” Minho asked Avery. He had to lean in close for her to hear him over the current song playing. One of the girls Avery didn’t know was singing a ballad, badly.

      “Yeah,” Avery replied truthfully. She lurched back when Minho bumped into her because Jonghyun and Taemin were leaning hard into his back as they made out.

      “Urgh,” Minho pushed back then turned to Avery. “Do you want to get some air or something?” A quick glance around revealed why the air in there was stuffy. Besides Taemin and Jonghyun, Key and Onew were stealing kisses and secretly petting each other. The other girl and boy were nowhere to be seen.

      Avery nodded and let Minho guide her out the room to the patio out back.

      “I’m sorry about them,” Minho said after a moment of silence.                           

      Avery smiled but she didn’t look at him.

      “I hope it wasn’t too awkward for you.”

      It was extremely awkward. Not only was the only person she could have a decent conversation with sucking his boyfriend’s face off, everyone else was sucking someone’s face. Avery was sure Minho and the ballad girl would also start making out given the pairing of the group and the looks she had sending his way. She didn’t know what she would do if they’d actually did end up kissing; if she would have slipped out quietly or used the opportunity to observe his kissing technique. It was for the manga of course. Her only interest in Minho’s kissing technique would be for the manga.

      “It wasn’t awkward at all,” she lied.

      If Minho knew she was lying, he didn’t confront her about it.

      “It was fun, hanging out with you,” she added to reinforce the lie.

      Minho chuckled a little. “Well, you didn’t really get to hang out with me. More like Taemin then Kibum, then Jonghyun and Changmin.”

      _Changmin! That was the other boy’s name._ “Still, it was fun.”

      “You know, for a moment there, I thought you were going to bail on me.”

      “For a moment there, I almost did,” she admitted.

      They fell into a comfortable silence where she watched the night sky with a soft smile and he watched her smile with a soft one of his own.

      “Avery?”

      She sort of startled at the sound of her name on his voice, it was her first time hearing him say it. She hadn’t told him her name and briefly wondered if Jonghyun was the one who told him her name, stopping before she wondered what else Jonghyun told him about her.

      “Hm?”

      “Do you think you would want to hang out again, just me though?”

      Her eyes went wide. She honestly didn’t see why he would want to do that. Her mind flashed to their private room; his friends making out with each other.

      “Okay so it wasn’t a bet. You’re just lonely and feeling left out since your friends are all dating.”

      He started to vehemently deny it but she stopped him.

      “I was just joking.” She didn’t say anything for a while, hoping he’d drop the subject but the silence between them was heavy with expectation. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

      “Why? Is it because of the whole jock thing?”

_No, it’s because of the whole manga thing but let’s go with what you said._

       “I know you think we won’t work but none of my friends are jocks and…”

      “I had a good time tonight,” she interrupted what she knew would have been a convincing speech. “I really did. But I still don’t think it’s a good idea for us to hang out.” It felt different saying that this time compared to the first. This time the words felt heavy on her tongue like she didn’t want to say them. “I gave it ten minutes – more than ten minutes. I just don’t see it ending well. I’m sorry.”


	7. Leave it all on the Floor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It would be cool if I could actually draw manga but since I can’t this is just a snippet of the manga story Avery and Amber are working on.

_Kieran runs as fast as he can to the basketball court where the others are waiting for him to begin their second inter-house match. Marcus doesn’t not look happy with Kieran - if he isn’t dressed and on the field in five minutes they will have to forfeit the match._

_“Didn’t you ask Mr. Heinz to tell you out early for the match?” Marcus hisses._

_“He said if I could say it in German I’d even let me miss the entire class,” Kieran replies rather irritably. His school shirt is already unbuttoned by the time he reaches the changing room. He haphazardly throws off his shoes, wiggling into his long shorts._

_“My jersey? Where is -----?” he mumbles, going through the mess of clothes he has created._

_“This?”_

_Kieran turns and there is his jersey in the hands of the boy who had dumped into him last Thursday, Marcus’ arch nemesis Simon Ward. Kieran reaches for his shirt, ‘thanks’ tripping clumsily from his mouth but the taller boy pulls the shirt out of reach. Now Kieran understands. It hadn’t been an accident that had him spilling his lunch all over the cafeteria floor. He is being targeted for his association with Marcus. Kieran reaches for his shirt again but Simon pulls it out of reach, going towards one of the stalls._

_“Don’t!”_

_Kieran grabs his jersey and it comes loose from the other boy’s grip but he isn’t holding it._

_“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Simon?” Marcus grabs the shirt and tosses it to Kieran, mouthing for him to ‘get dressed’._

_“Aww, how sweet,” Simon taunts. “Come to rescue your new pet?”_

_Marcus puts himself in front of Kieran. “I’m surprised you’re able to show your face after the spectacular loss you had against House Gordon.”_

_Simon’s eyes flash and his hand rises in the air in a fist._

_“Boys!” the coach appears at the door. “Sixty seconds and you’re forfeit.”_

_Marcus looks back at Kieran who is slipping on his sneakers. “We’re coming,” he replies tensely, guiding Kieran out by the shoulders._

_“Break a leg,” Simon says sweetly._

_Marcus gives him a discrete finger._

_They win their match by a large margin. In their excitement, Kieran unexpectedly jumps on Marcus and they both fall backwards, Marcus getting the brunt of the fall. Kieran must be surprised that he did such a thing because he just sits on top of Marcus until the other boy tells him to get off._

_“Sorry,” Kieran blushes, a little too hard for just jumping on Marcus. He helps his captain up dutifully dusting him off._

_“Leave it,” Marcus hisses, something suspicious like a blush creeping up his neck._

_Once again it’s just Marcus and Kieran left in the locker room. It shouldn’t be awkward but it is with heavy silences and stolen glances._

_“Why do you wear so much cologne,” Marcus asks, wriggling his nose at the musky/citrus scent clogging up his nostrils._

_Kieran colors deeply. “It’s ‘cause you said I smelled,” he answers shyly._

_Marcus is trying hard to suppress a smile. “I said I could smell you, not that you smelled bad.”_

_Kieran doesn’t think he can blush any harder. “So you did say that? I didn’t imagine it?”_

_They fall into another silence._

_Marcus is smoothing down the frizz in his hair when Kieran breaks the silence. “It was pretty hot what you did earlier…rescuing me and stuff.”_

_Marcus takes a deep breath. Even though he doesn’t regret his decision to let Kieran play on the team, it’s still hard being around him especially when he says careless things like that. “I’m pretty sure you meant to say that it was pretty cool what I did.”_

_Kieran looks flustered._

_“You can’t just say things like that to me.”_

_“I’m sorry. It’s just -Well, no one’s stood up for me before.” Kieran offers. “Even though I look effeminate, you took a chance on me and let me play on the team despite what people said. You do a lot for me and I don’t know how to thank you.”_

_Marcus is looking at Kieran intensely. He’s thinking of various ways in which Kieran could thank him and none of them innocent._

_“What?” Kieran asks, eyes going wide and wet._

_Marcus doesn’t say anything, walking up to his team and backing him up against the wall._


	8. Writer's Block

      It had been three weeks and the page was still blank -the cursor blinking, taunting. In defiant response, Avery wrote a sentence. She smiled then frowned. _Shit!_ She hit the backspace button till the page was white again. What she needed was refreshment, she told herself, never minding that she had come back from the cafeteria fifteen minutes ago. She opened the small dorm fridge she shared with Amber and pulled out the slice of strawberry cheese cake she had been saving for a late night snack. The cream cheese was cold but it melted in her mouth and already she felt better. That lasted ten minutes.

      She gave her computer the side eye, another of the many showdowns between human and machine. She lost, again. She looked around the spotless dorm; she had even washed and folded Amber’s clothes. The cursor blinked at her smugly but she was determined when she sat down again.

      “FUCK!” she yielded after five minutes of nothing. Shaking her hair, she called for inspiration. She minimized the empty word document and clicked the iTunes icon. She scrolled the length of her library – 500 songs – to the song that never failed to lift her spirits.  Forty minutes later, she had worked off the cheesecake dancing to her entire playlist of house music. She collapsed on top of her duvet for her morning nap.  Something always came to her in dream. Unfortunately by the time she woke up, it was three in the afternoon and the details had crumbled like dried, flaked skin.

      “Must be nice sleeping through the day,” Amber intoned sardonically when Avery threw the covers off.

      “I wasn’t sleeping,” Avery huffed, defensively. She really didn’t know why she was lying.

      “No?” Amber raised her left brow salaciously. “Were you like…fiddling with your naughty bits, then?”

      “God!” Avery screeched throwing a pillow at her roommate who proceeded to sniff it. “You’re so gross.”

      “What?” Amber shrugged. “With the amount of smut you write it would be an act of God if you didn’t ‘ride solo’ every now and again.”

      Avery was horrified. “Amber, I love you but don’t ever say ‘ride solo’ with that face again.”

      Amber laughed, turning back to her homework.

      “So, I was thinking we should give Minho a love story,” Avery said.

      Amber turned back. “Marcus. We should give Marcus a love story.”

      Avery frowned. “That’s what I said.”

      “No, you said ‘we should give _Minho_ a love story.'"

      Avery balked. How could she make such a mistake? Sure, she'd been thinking about Minho **a lot** and maybe her recent bout with writer's block had something to do with the fact that she couldn't continue writing Marcus as a cold hearted, arrogant bastard when she knew that Minho wasn't anything like that. She saw a completely different side of Minho that night at the _norebang_. He was fun and playful though mostly with his friends. He was nervous around her but she found that endearing.

      Amber watched her, shrewdly. "Should I be worried?" she asked. Avery didn't answer, she couldn't answer and she just remembered somewhere she had to be.

      There was nowhere she had to be and she ended up walking about town aimlessly. She was trying to come up with an answer to Amber’s question but nothing sounded convincing enough. She decided to head back to the dorms when it started getting dark, stopping by a convenient store to pick up some drinks. On her way out, she bumped into a group of guys she recognized from the basketball team.

      “Hey girl, what are your plans for sex tonight?”

      _Ew!_

      “Bet you wanna ride this dick.”

      “Pass,” she returned and tried to walk passes him but he blocked her way again.

      Just as her patience was wearing out, a familiar voice from across the road called to her. It was Key. Her heart lurched with relief.

      “Where have been? Minho’s waiting for you.”

      Avery was confused but the look in Key’s eye was telling her to play along.

      “Hurry up! He’s getting pissed.”

      Avery bypassed her harasser who didn’t even try to stop her. When she got to the other side of the road, Key grabbed her hand and dragged away with him. Only when they had turned the corner did his pace slow.

      “That was terrifying,” he sighed. “What the fuck were you doing there?” She opened her mouth to protest but he continued. “That guy’s a jerk. Thank God, I saw you before anything happened.”

      “Nothing would have happened. I know jujitsu.”

      Key rolled his eyes. “Sure. But there were like five of those guys and only one of you.”

      Avery didn’t say anything and Key took her silence with a smug nod.

      As they approached an idling car, Key turned to her, face serious. “Don’t tell Minho about what just happened. He gets ridiculously protective of his friends and he might go there and beat the crap out of that Jae.”

      _Why would I?_ Avery thought as she slid into the back seat of the car after Kibum. She got her answer when she saw the face of the driver. Through the rearview mirror, Minho’s surprised expression matched her own. There was a girl in the front seat; the ballad girl from that night at the Tool Shed.  She introduced herself as Sulli.

      Avery made her greetings, answering vaguely when asked what she was doing in the area.

      “So, don’t you like have any friends?” Kibum asked changing the subject quickly. “You’re always on your own.”

      Avery stuttered, momentarily meeting Minho’s eyes in the mirror. “I have friends.”

      “Jinki says you’re always at the coffee shop alone.” Key emphasized alone.

      Avery internally cussed Onew. “I have friends,” she insisted. “They just don’t have the same interests as I do.” She recognized her hypocrisy when her eyes met Minho’s again in the rearview. Damn it! She thought, fixing her gaze to the passing scenery though she couldn’t see much in the darkness. “They’re dating each other so it’s less uncomfortable to be alone.”

      “Then why don’t you hang out with us?” It sounded like an accusation but Avery chose to see it as an offer.

      “I’m not good with hanging out with people. I’m used to being on my own.”

      It sounded pathetic and Key said as much.

      “Kibum!” Minho hissed.

      “It’s not pathetic,” Avery insisted. “I grew up in a silent house – both my parents are deaf and we lived in a deaf community so there wasn’t really anyone to talk to growing up.” She didn’t sound angry, maybe just tired, like she’d had this conversation too times before.

      “Is that why you sometimes say weird shit?”

      Minho huffed, presumably to chastise Key.

      Avery chuckled. “I had to learn to watch what I say when I started going to regular school. But old habits…”

      The car was silent and Avery could feel the pity in air. It occurred to her then to ask where they were going.

      “Jonghyun and Taemin are having a get together,” Sulli said.

      “Oh, you can just drop me off near campus,” Avery said even as realized that they were moving in the opposite direction of the campus.

      “As if! After your sad little tale you’re coming with us,” Key said, directing a hard look at Minho.

      “But I wasn’t invited.”

      “I doubt those two will stop eating each other’s face long enough to even notice who’s there.”

      Kibum was mostly right. Avery didn’t see Jonghyun or Taemin for the first forty minutes they were there. There were about fifteen people there and she didn’t know any of them. Kibum was nice enough to stick with her for some time but then Onew showed up an hour after they’d arrived and she started feeling less comfortable. She asked Key where the bathroom was and he told her to use the one in Jonghyun’s bedroom. That was where she stayed for a long time. Jonghyun found her lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

      “Oh! You’re still here?” He looked like he wanted to ask something else but stopped himself.

      Avery decided not to read anything into it.

      “Not having a good time?” He face was screwed in something of sympathy. “Kibum told us about the deaf thing.”

      “Ah!” she was all she said.

      “Do you want me to call Minho to give you a ride back? He just left with Sulli, though, so it could be a while till he gets back.”

      Avery blushed at the implication.

      “Weird that,” Jonghyun continued. “I definitely got the feeling at _norebang_ that he was interested in you but then he was making out with Sulli.”

      Avery laughed but it was an empty sound. “No, that’s ok. I was going to call a taxi anyway.”

      “I would offer to take you but I’ve had a lot to drink. You could stay the night,” he offered hopefully. “You can take my bed.”

      “No, that’s ok,” Avery said. “My roommate probably has the cavalry out looking for me. But thanks.”

      “There you are,” Taemin’s head popped through the door. “We’re taking shots. Tequila, your favorite.” He said the last to Avery.

      “No, no. Absolutely not.”

      “Why?” Taemin pouted. “You were so much fun that night at Cork Screw.”

      Avery continued shaking her head.

      “I meant to ask you,” Taemin continued. “What did you mean when you said you were technically a virgin?”

      Avery balked. “What?”

      Jonghyun looked embarrassed but he wasn’t stopping Taemin.

      _Fucking tequila!_


	9. Getting to Know You

      The drive to her dorm was quiet, which Avery was used to but it was also tense, which she wasn’t used so she didn’t really think when she said, “So you and Sulli?”

Minho had returned to Jonghyun and Taemin’s place earlier than expected, mumbling about realizing that Avery didn’t have a ride home. He earned himself a strange look from Jonghyun and Kibum when he shut down Avery’s idea for a taxi and Taemin’s insistence that she stay the night over.

A pained expression flashed across his face. “They told you?”

“Jonghyun mentioned something,” she replied with a shrug.

“It kind of just happened,” he started to explain and Avery flushed. She hadn’t meant for it to be anything but an ice-breaker.

“You don’t have to explain anything to me. It’s none of my business.”

“I know,” Minho frowned slightly. “It just makes me look petty…you rejecting me then me hooking up with another girl.”

“Err, I wouldn’t think too much about it,” Avery mumbled, pointedly looking out the window. She could feel Minho watching her, like he was expecting a specific reaction.

“I don’t get you. Your words are saying you’re not bothered but then you look like I just kicked you in the teeth.” He said this quietly and Avery pretended not to have heard it, allowing another spell of awkward silence to descend.

“So is it true?” Minho was the one to break the quiet this time. “What you said about your family and growing up.”

“Yeah, it is.” Strangely enough, Avery found herself loosening up and not tensing up like she usually did when talking about her childhood.

“So you know sign language?” Minho, too, seemed to have relaxed a bit; his grip on the wheel and the grip of the jaw slackening.

"I know international and American sign languages."

"What was it like growing up like that? If you don't mind me asking," he added when he saw the face she was making.

She smiled kindly. "I don't mind." The face he saw was her trying to see how to explain it. "I don't know. It was normal, I guess. I mean I didn't think I was different till about seven years old. No, I knew I was different, I just didn't see it as a problem till I was  seven when I was enrolled in vocal classes because the state was going to take me away from my parents."

"Yikes!"

"Yeah, that sucked. I couldn’t play with the other kids after school so I didn't really have any friends. Not the sleep-over kind anyway. It got harder when I transferred to regular school. Regular kids were just so loud and aggressive, and I'd get overwhelmed easily. I didn't know how to interact with people and I'd say whatever shit came to my mind because I forgot people around me hear. A couple of kids made fun of the fact that my parents were deaf but most of them just left me alone."

Minho was looking at her intensely.

"See! No manners. I've gone and talked your ear off."

He smiled at her. It was then that she realized that he was looking at her and not the road. She looked out the window and saw that they had reached her dorm.

"Well, thanks for the ride."

"Not a problem. It was nice hanging out with you."

Avery rolled her eyes. "Okay."

He chuckled.

Avery knew she should have moved to get out of the car but her body just sat there. Minho looked at her inquiringly then their eyes met. Suddenly the air between them was charged. She noticed how the electric current peaked when his eyes fell to her lips.

"It's late," she whispered but she still wasn't moving and his face was getting closer.

"Minho." Her voice trembled, her breath bouncing off him.

He kissed her, pressed closed lips against hers.

He pulled back, a small smile on his face.

"I should go."

"Avery?"

"I should go" and this time she pulled the door handle.

She didn't look back to see if he was following her. She didn't look back until she was slumped against her dorm door, touching her lips, thinking that yes, Amber should be worried because she liked the kiss.


	10. So, you're apologizing for being a bad kisser

      As pretty as Krystal was, it was still frightening seeing her face up close first time in the morning.

      "You kissed Choi Minho."                                                       

      "What?" Avery blurted and a millisecond later so did Amber.

      "I saw you when I was leaving the dorm. You were in his car and you were kissing him."

      Amber was doing that frightening thing with her eyes again.

      "Technically, he kissed me."

      "Avery!" Amber shrieked. "I distinctly remember you telling me that there was nothing for me to be worried about."

      "And there wasn't...isn't. That was a one off thing."

      "That's sounds awfully familiar."

      "It was an accident."

      Amber rolled her eyes.

      "He's seeing someone so nothing's going to happen."

      "Really?" Krystal said from window. "Then why is he outside the dorm, looking like a school boy waiting to walk his girlfriend to class."

      Amber and Avery squeezed into the window frame. Sure enough, Minho was leaning against the dorm tree.

      "Shit!"

      Amber rounded in on Avery. "You're going to have to tell him about the manga."

      "What? Why?"

      "Because you’re dating him and it's not cool. He has the right to know."

      "Who said anything about dating?" Avery slipped out from under Amber's arms.

      "Avery?"

      "I know," Avery snapped, flopping onto her bed. "I don't know," she whined. "I mean it's just fiction, right? Marcus is nothing like Minho -"

      "Except for the face," Krystal interjected.

      "Except for the face," Avery repeated tightly. "I mean as long as I don't allow Minho to influence Marcus it will fine, right?" She knew she was grasping at straws but they'd worked really hard on the manga and to let it go because of a boy didn't sit well with her.

      "Look, I don't care either way," Amber said. "The story has had a good run, it's one of the best the club has produced; but if you date this guy and he finds out about the manga, it will not end well."

      "I know."

      Minho was still waiting when she got outside an hour and a half later. Avery thought about slipping out the side door but that would have sounded the emergency exit alarm. So squaring her shoulders, she walked by him, feigning a surprised expression.

      “Hi!” Minho beamed.

      “Hey!”

      “So…how are you?” He walked into step with her which was not difficult with his long legs.

      “Good.”

      It was more awkward than she had anticipated, especially with some of the stares they were getting. Minho looked immaculate in dark jeans and dark t-shirt. She looked sloppy in sweatpants and slippers. “And you, how are you?” she asked.

      “I’m good.”

      “Great! So we’re both good.”

      “Are we? I mean you kinda didn’t look so good last night after we…kissed.”

      “Nothing a good night’s sleep couldn’t fix,” she returned airily.

      He walked in front of her and stopped. “I want to apologize for that.”

      “For kissing me?”

      “Yes… No. Not really. I mean, I liked it but you looked like you didn’t.”

      “So, you’re apologizing for being a bad kisser?” she mused, trying to hide her smile.

      “Yes. I mean no.” He play-punched her shoulder. “I’m not a bad kisser. Just because you didn’t like it doesn’t make me a bad kisser.”

      “Um, pretty much,” she snickered.

      “You’re mean,” he scowled. “Wanna hang out on Friday?”

      “Sure, why not?” she replied immediately.

      He looked surprised. “Really? Just like that?”

      “What? I don’t have a thing. Besides, Taemin owes me a re-match.”

      Minho looked slightly confused at the mention of Taemin but he didn’t say anything.

     


	11. Fighting Spirit

      Avery finally understood Minho’s look of confusion at the mention of her rematch with Taemin when she showed up at the mall and it was only Minho there. She had assumed, at his suggestion that they meet at the Cineplex, that they’d all be watching a movie.

      “Don’t be mad at me,” Minho pleaded when he saw the look on her face when she learned that it would just be the two of them. “I remembered how you looked when you walked into the _norebang_ the other time so I didn’t want to overwhelm you again.”

      Avery looked skeptical, remembering how Kibum hadn’t seemed to know anything about the plan when she mentioned it to him the day before. Still, she didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. He was with Sulli so this was just two friends hanging out.

      They had agreed on grabbing something from the food court before heading for the six o’clock showing of some action film, but next to the food court was the game room, and in the game room was a Wii console set up. That’s how they ended up playing Wii games for over four hours. Avery didn’t really think of herself as a competitive person but it felt strangely good beating Minho in various games. She knew he was letting her win at first but then his fighting spirit activated somewhere between Wii bowling and Wii Dance Party.

      “YES!” Avery screamed, dancing around Minho because she had just beaten his high score by one point. “Bow to me!”

      “Never!” Minho scowled deeply. It was hard not to be a sore loser when Avery was such an ungracious winner. “Re-match.”

      “Sir, we’re closing,” the annoyed arcade worker intoned.

      “Aw,” Avery gloated. “What to do? They’re closing. I guess my high score will just have to stand till next time.”

      Minho growled, stomping off, Avery’s obnoxious laughter not too far behind.

      The ride back to campus was pleasant, though. They talked about Minho; Avery being curious about how he and the other boys knew each other. It was a game of degrees of separation from Key. Jonghyun and Kibum had a thing freshman year and stayed friends after. When Jonghyun started dating Taemin, the youngest of them was brought into the fold. Jinki was a recent addition since he was now dating Key. And Key and Minho met in high school when Minho’s sports mentor, who used to bully Key, took things a little too far. Avery noticed that when Minho talked about Key there was both a fondness and sadness in his eyes.

      The night ended without a kiss, rivalry forgotten. So Avery was surprised to find Minho standing outside her dorm door at ten o’clock in the morning, came to pick her up for their rematch.

      Minho’s performance was markedly better than the day before. He didn’t hold himself back and beat her in every game by a lot. Even the girl group dances from Wii Dance Party.

      “You aren’t two-time Athlete of the Year for nothing,” Avery grumbled as they were being ejected from the Wii station to allow a group of elementary kids to play. “But I still beat you yesterday.”

      “I went easy on you yesterday,” he stated as a matter of fact.

      “Whatever,” she rolled her eyes. “I saw that vein popping on your temple. You were actually trying.”

      “I categorically deny that or at least have no recollection of any such thing happening.”

      She punched his arm.

      “Ow! That’s my free throw arm,” he complained, soothing it.

      “Sorry,” Avery immediately apologized. God forbid she be the reason Minho slips out of the running for his third Athlete of the Year Award.

      “I was just kidding,” he said seeing the genuine concern on her face.

      She frowned, “Don’t do that.”

      He half pouted half smiled. “Aw, you care about me,” he teased, throwing his arm around her shoulder.

      “I care about not being the reason we lose the championship,” she returned, throwing his arm off.

      “Admit it, you like me,” he said, his arm winding around her shoulder again.

      “I admit nothing,” she replied stubbornly but she didn’t remove his arm from its resting place.

      “Why else would you come to every one of our games if not to see me?”

      Avery slightly panicked. She didn’t think he’d noticed her among the other students in the bleachers. “Maybe I came to see the center forward guy.” Despite attending most the games, Avery didn’t really know if such a position existed in basketball.

      “I play center forward.”

      “The other center forward guy.”

      He smirked. “Sure. Okay.”

      She shrugged his arm off her shoulders. “You’re so full of yourself. Just wait till I wipe that smirk off your face.”

      “And how will you do that?” he challenged.

      “Two words – Mortal Combat.”

      He laughed. “Care to make that interesting.”

      “Loser has to wear a diaper for a day.”

      Minho was a little taken back by the punishment but not one to shy away wager, he shook on it.

 

 


	12. Tackling Elephants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Sexy Times Ahead

      Minho lived with Key in the same apartment block as Jonghyun and Taemin, on the fifth floor. Minho already had the game set up when Avery showed up on his door step at eight in the evening the following Friday. All week she had been talking smack and it looked like Minho was ready to put her to task.

      “I came bearing gifts,” she waved a six pack of beer in his face.                                      

      “It’s too late to back down now unless you think getting me drunk will hamper my skills,” Minho replied, taking the beer and heading to the living room. He laughed at the frown on Avery’s face because it seemed like that was plan. “You’re going down Avery Talbot. Get ready to spend a day in diapers.”

      There was nothing like a reminder of the wager to get her into the fighting spirit. She had even asked Amber to help her with cheats. “Bring it on, Choi Minho. Best of five.”

      Avery won the first game and that was it. It was mostly just beginner’s luck with her hitting random buttons when she couldn’t remember Amber’s cheats. She was on her way to losing the fourth game when they heard a noise coming from Key’s room. They hadn’t realized he was home. Minho was about to check the noise out when Avery caught his arm. She had definitely heard a moan. Minho looked at her for an explanation but she just shook her head. In the silence of that followed they heard the chanting of Onew’s name.

      Minho colored deeply, looking embarrassed when Avery pulled him to sit back down. “I’ll just increase the volume.”

      Raising the volume didn’t seem to help with the steady thump of the something hard against the wall punctuated by desperate sounds at random breaks in the game.

      "Whoa! I can't listen to this anymore. Do you wanna go to my bedroom. It will be quiet in there."

      Avery didn't need telling twice. She dropped the controller and followed Minho. Only after he'd closed the door did she realize what kind of situation she had put herself in. It was awkward, standing in front of his bed after hearing Key and Onew go at it. To tackle the elephant in the room, she jumped on his bed.

      "Hey!" he yelled. "You're messing up my bed."                                                      

      Avery stuck her tongue out at him and continued jumping.

      "Stop it!" he warned, but there was no teeth behind the warning. "If you -"

      She continued jumping, stopping only when he tackled her to the bed and pinned her down.

      "Let's see you try that," he challenged.

      She tried to rise against him, lifting her hips and arching her back. She fell back when she almost touched his crotch. Her chest was also close to his face.

      "Hey, buddy! Eyes on me," she chided. He was so close to her and she was desperately trying not to be affected by his warm breath. It was stale with the smell of beer but there were also hints of the mints he had been chewing. She really wanted him to kiss her.

      He smirked, "They are on you," his eyes watching the rise and fall of her breast. And just like that the space between them was charged.

      "Can I - Can I touch them?"

      Maybe it was the lack of oxygen in her head or the echoes of Key's moans in her head but she nodded. He let go of her hands and immediately cupped her breasts over her shirt. There wasn't much breast to feel with bra padding in the way and he frowned at the hindrance. Still, he tried to feel as much as he could, pulling down the underwire and caressing the cusp.

      "These are nice," he said softly. He looked up at her. She seemed worried. "They are really nice," he repeated with a smile. "Can I touch them from the inside?" He sounded more confident than when he asked the first time. Avery didn't see the point in refusing since they'd come this far. "Cool. Let me get comfortable.”

      Minho positioned himself behind her, pulling her back flush against his chest and wrapping his long legs around her waist.

      She sucked her tummy in when his finger slid under her t-shirt.

      "You don't have to do that," he said, his voice warm against her ear. Still she held her tummy in. Again he cupped her breasts, pulling down at the underwire, caressing the cusp of her breast.

      "Let me take this off," she said leaning forward to expertly unhook her bra with one hand and pull it out through the sleeves. She tried not to be too smug about how impressed he looked because any girl could do as much.

      With the padding gone, it was almost too much. His hands were warm and big and tender as he played with her breasts. She kept her eyes and mouth shut tight to prevent any embarrassing sound from escaping but her breathing gave her away, and his breath fanning across the skin of her neck was not helping.

      She gasped, eyes flinging open and fingers clenched in a fist when he tentatively twisted her right nipple.

      "Do you like that?" he whispered into her ear, his deep tone riding her spine to her pelvis.

      "Fuck!" she hissed, when he did it again, throwing her head back against his shoulders.

      She wasn't the only one affected. She could feel his erection pressed against her back and his breathing was getting harsher.

      "Minho, stop," she managed to say, feeling him start to rut against her. It took a moment but his hands fell from her breasts.

      "Could you excuse me for a minute?" he said, pulling away from her. He headed into his bathroom. She heard the water faucet turn on but even over the running water she could still hear him panting.

      After five minutes, the water stopped running but he still wasn't coming out.

      "Hey!" he called from behind the door. "This is a bit embarrassing for me. So did you mind leaving first?"

      The small part of Avery that had been feeling good about getting Minho to that state was now overshadowed by shame.

      "No, of course not. I'll talk to you later." Avery tried to sound casual, if not cheery as she rushed out of the room passed a surprised, half-naked Kibum.

      "Hey Avery!” he greeted dreamily then added, “Are you okay?" noticing the furrow of her brow.

      "Yeah," Avery said hoping the slight crack in her voice didn't give her away. "I have a thing that I completely forgot about."

      "Avery!" Kibum called after her but she was already out the door and he couldn't exactly follow her.


	13. Good Kisser

      It had been three days since ‘the bedroom’ incident and Minho hadn’t called or texted Avery. She kept telling herself that he was probably still embarrassed but somewhere in the back of her mind the possibility that he might just have used her popped up every now and then. She kept looking at her phone in case the ringer had somehow turned off, hoping to see a missed call from him but instead all she saw were messages from Victoria, the manga club president. The last message was rather frightening: Victoria promising to track her down and feed her nails to the club’s pet iguana if she didn’t resolve last issue’s cliff hanger. 

      Avery was deleting the message when she stumbled forward, thrown off by a weight crashing into her back.

      "So you and Minho are a thing!"

      She frowned when she saw it was Key, who she had been avoiding. Avery was on her way to her afternoon creative writing workshop and she had never once seen Key on this route so she was pretty sure it was not coincidence.

      "What?" she shook off droplets of her soda that had spilled on her.

      "I only want to know if I'll be finding anymore of your ugly underwear in our laundry." He held up the bra she had left in Minho's room.

      "Get me that," she snatched it from him and stuffed it in the pocket of her jeans. "It's not ugly. It's functional."

      Key rolled his eyes. They softened when they settled on hers. "You should know that he's still kind of embarrassed to face you."

      "Did he tell you?"

      "That you let him feel up your tits? Yes."

      Avery groaned. Kibum cackled. "But seriously. Are you guys like friends with benefits? Because if you are, you should just end it with him. I don’t want Minho getting hurt."

      Avery bristled at the implication.

      “Minho’s a pretty easy going guy and he might not be into hard labels but if he’s spending time with you it’s because he likes you. And if you don’t feel the same or if you’re only interested in raising your social profile by dating the two-time athlete of the year then you should end it.”

      “Shouldn’t you be having this conversation with Sulli?”

      Key was confused. “Sulli?” Then understanding settled on his features. “Wait, so you think Minho and Sulli are an item and yet you let him feel you up?" Key mused.

      "I know," Avery groaned. "I'm a bad person. But it's your fault - moaning like a freaking porn star. Wait, what do you mean by I think Minho and Sulli and an item? They are an item."

      Key shook his head.

      "Since when?"

      "Since you kissed him," Key returned airily.

      "He kissed me," Avery contested hotly.

      Key shrugged. "Either way, are you going to take responsibility for my sweet, innocent _dongsaeng?"_

      "Innocent?"

      "Yes, innocent. For a popular guy, Minho can be surprisingly naïve sometimes. He even asked Jinki for kissing tips because he wants you to like it. But don’t tell him I told you. It’s supposed to be a secret."

      As Key went on about the uncomfortable look on Onew’s face when Minho came to him, something melted in Avery’s heart. The poor guy actually thought she didn’t like their first kiss. She was going to make sure that there’ll be second and third kiss.

      “Why are you smiling like that?” Key broke off from his apparent monologue and peered suspiciously at Avery.

      “I’m not smiling like anything,” Avery replied walking off. She was going to be late for her workshop.

      “Yes, you are,” Key followed her. “You’re smiling like you’re up to something. You better not hurt him,” he warned.

      Avery stopped and turned to Key. “I’m not going to hurt him,” she promised and she was sincere in that promise but she really shouldn’t have been making promises she couldn’t possibly keep.

      Key gave her an appraising look before nodding his approval.

      On Friday she finally got a text from Minho asking her to meet him at her dorm’s car park. He looked nervous leaning against his car as she approached him. Before he could even say a word, she crashed into him, pressing their lips together.

      “Not that I’m complaining but what was that for?” he asked when she pulled back.

      “You’re a good kisser, Choi Minho.”

      “Kibum talked to you, didn’t he?”

      She didn’t say anything but her expression betrayed her.

      The grin that spread across his face was utterly endearing. “Well, you’re not so bad yourself, Avery Talbot,” he replied, his arms coiling around her waist.

      “Pfft! I’ll have you that I’m an excellent kisser.”

      He looked skeptical. “I’ll have to confirm that for myself,” he teased, bringing her face closer for another kiss.

 

 


	14. For Science

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Sexy Times Ahead

      Minho and Avery were sitting on her bed across from Amber and Krystal, looking like a couple meeting the parents. Avery had stalled Minho meeting her friends for as long as she could but three weeks into dating, Amber caught her trying to slip out the dorm in her good jeans; the ones that made her butt look ‘delicious’.

      “Young man,” Amber intoned in her mom voice. “You’ve been seeing our Avery for three weeks and you’ve only just introduced yourself today. What do you have to say for yourself?”

      Minho looked at Avery for direction because he wasn’t sure if Amber was being serious. Avery just rolled her eyes.

      “Don’t roll your eyes at your mother,” Krystal scolded her, getting in on the act.

      “Not you too.”

      “Don’t use that tone with your other mother,” Amber scolded.

      “I’m confused,” Minho said looking between the three women.

      “What are your intentions with our Avery?”

      “Just play along,” Avery advised.

      “My intentions are completely honorable, ma’am,” Minho answered Amber.

      “Is that why our Avery has been asking about contraception?”

      “AMBER!”

      Krystal burst out laughing and Minho looked shell-shocked.

      “We’re leaving,” Avery said pulling Minho up from her bed and dragging him out the room.

      “It’s a school night. Be sure to have her home by eleven,” Amber called after them.

      “I can’t believe they did that,” Avery grumbled. She shot a side glance at Minho. He looked distracted. “I wish I could say that they’re not normally like that but yeah, those are my friends.”

      Minho smiled but it was awkward.

      All evening, Minho was distant, barely responding to her. It had been his idea to binge watch Book 2 of Avatar: The Legend of Korra and yet he was distracted even disinterested.

      “You’re not still thinking about what happened at the dorm, are you?” she asked for the fifth time that evening. “Don’t pay those two any attention they were just messing around with you.”

      “That thing about contraception, have you been thinking about... you know. I mean, it would be great if we could…you know but I don’t want you to feel like you have to.”

      He was so cute; tense and fidgety all at the same time. She kissed him. “Is it okay if I try something?” she asked.

      He looked hesitant but nodded all the same. His eyes grew large when she slid from the couch and positioned herself between his legs. “Avery, you don’t have to,” he protested pushing her hands, reaching for the zipper of his jeans, away.

      “I know I don’t have to,” she replied. She cocked her head to the side, “Unless you don’t want to.”

      “I want to but -” the rest of his words came out in a moan as she pressed a palm against his semi-hard dick. She worked quickly to pop the button of his jeans but he stopped her as she was pulling the zipper down. “Are you sure?”

      She smiled. “I want to do this. For science,” she added with a cheeky wink.

      He bent down as far as he could, and she rose to meet him for the kiss. It was gentle and exploratory, like he was stalling so she pulled away first. Honestly, blowjobs weren’t her favorite but months of research for the manga gave her a new appreciation for them and she was curious to know if there was in fact pleasure in giving them.

      She pulled out his cock from its confines, careful to keep her expression neutral because she could feel his eyes boring into her. Her first impression was that it was a cock but she did like the muted color of the head. It was not pretty pink or angry red as she had heard it been described. She leaned forward, noting his sharp intake of air with a small smile. She kitten licked the head once, then twice, noting the clenching of his abdomen with a growing smile.

      “Please,” he whispered.

      Avery took that as cue to devour him. She sank her mouth down his growing length, feeling it stretch the seams of her lips. Recalling all the tips she’d read – grazing him lightly with her teeth, hollowing her cheeks, swirling her tongue – she worked him up to a full erection. Then she added her hand, caressing the shaft while her lips sucked on the head.

      “Avery,” he whined.

      She hummed a response causing his thighs to stutter. Finally, she understood why the person giving the blowjob sometimes moaned.

      “Fuck,” he hissed, his fingers curling tightly into her hair. It was a guttural sound. She looked up at him causing him to gurgle on a moan.

      “Enough,” he managed to gasp. “I’m going to come.”

      She pulled off his cock, slowly, hollowing her cheeks, sucking out all his restraint. Her head rested on his thigh, watching white cum spill hotly on her hands and his stomach.

 

 

 

 


	15. Technically A Virgin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Sexy Times Ahead

      Avery had been in his bathroom for a long time now and Minho must have been worried. For five minutes, she could hear him as he paced back and forth outside the bathroom door, probably trying to decide on whether to check up on her or give her space. After another two minutes later, he settled on checking up on her, knocking tentatively on the door.

      “Hey! Are you alright in there?”                                                                                

      Avery swallowed. _It’s okay_ , she pepped herself up. _You can do this._

      The sound of the door unlocking was loud in the silence that followed the question. She made sure to keep her expression unreadable as he watched her came out. He must have seen something unfavorable in her face because he was apologizing.

      “Avery, I don’t know what happened but I’m sorry,” he started. He raised his arms to touch her but thought better of it. “Is it something I -?”

      “Fuck me.”

      “What?”

      She looked up at him, resolute in her posture and repeated the two words. “Fuck me.”

      Minho was shocked and confused.

      “If you want,” she added when he did say anything. “If that’s okay.” She was losing courage with every second he wasn’t saying anything. “I mean it’s totally cool if you don’t want to.”

      He wanted to, if the bruising kiss he gave her was any indication. “Are you sure?” he asked pulling slightly away to look at her. She was acting strange and trembling slightly.

      She nodded, pulling closer to him to hide her blush.

      “Okay,” he chuckled into her hair.

      From there it was a slow start, both of them waiting for the other to take the lead – Avery not wanting to appear eager and Minho not wanting to appear pressuring. Minho took the first step, sitting them down on the edge of his bed. Avery took the next step, leaning in and kissing him. Minho slid a hand under her shirt. Avery climbed onto his lap. His hands caressed her back, her hands carded through his hair.

      “More,” she whispered, pushing him on to his back and started rubbing her crotch against his erection. They both moaned. Even with all the fabric between them, it felt good. “Touch me,” Avery said, guiding one of his hands into her pants.

      "You're not shaved," he noted. It was not the right thing to say because she promptly removed his hand from there. "No, no," he protested, "I wasn't being judgmental or anything. I was just wondering...you know, for science." He had that cheeky grin she found hard to resist. He looked relieved when she smiled back.

      "For science?" she repeated with an upturned brow.

      "Yes, for science." His hand made its way back into her underwear. "You're so wet," he noted.

      And even though she was coloring deeply, she was also spreading her legs. Suddenly, her breath hitched.

      He smiled deviously, "Do you like that?" he asked, watching her chest heave shallowly as he rubbed against her clit.

      "Oh wow!" she cried out, holding onto his bicep. “Now. I want you now.”

      They made quick work of shedding their clothes and while Minho looked for condoms in his drawers, Avery slipped between the sheets, holding them up to her face.

      “Do you mind if we turn the lights off?” she asked. She wasn’t looking at him so she didn’t see the slight confusion on his face.

      “Sure,” he answered softly. “Let me put on the condom first.”

      The room wasn’t completely dark when he switched the lights off. Just outside his window hang an ill placed security lamp and its light filtered through the curtains. Avery  could hear her heart in her throat as she watched Minho’s silhouette crawl towards her. She was sure he could hear it as he pulled the sheet covering her down and touched her body.

      “You’re beautiful,” he said.

      “You can’t see me,” she chuckled.

      She felt his smile when he kissed her. He sucked her lower lip then her tongue; drawing mewls from her as he pressed his naked body against hers. Avery shifted a little to her left so their bodies could slot perfectly.

      He pulled back from the kiss. “Are you ready?”

      “Yes,” she whispered back, clutching onto his arms. She should have told him then that she’d never done this before – penis in vagina, but she didn’t. She just twisted her eyes shut, chocking back the cry in her throat as he pushed hard against the resistance.

      “Fuck,” Minho moaned into her ear.

      Avery exhaled slowly. She didn’t imagine it would be that painful. “Minho,” she cried; gritting her teeth, tightening her grip on his skin, waiting for the pain to eventually subside. He thrust slowly into her because the fit was so tight and he’s sometimes fell out of her. Whimpers of pain soon gave way to moans of pleasure and her grip on his skin was for an entirely different reason.

      “I’m coming,” Minho warned her, his pace increasing before his hips stuttered to a stop and he collapsed exhausted on top of her. He stayed like that for a while, his eyes fluttering shut by the lull of her stroking his hair. Avery was sure she didn’t came but she was happy lying like that.

      “Babe,” Minho looked at her. She smiled at the pet name. “We should probably get cleaned up,” he said getting off her. She made to get up as well but he pushed her back down. “You stay. I’ll get a wet towel.”

      Avery couldn’t help smiling as she watched him stride confidently to the bathroom. He had such a cute butt. The light from the bathroom threw against the bed and her smile immediately fell. There was blood all over his white sheets. She quickly drew the sheets aside to see if the blood had penetrated through to the mattress. All she could think of was his nagging about how messy she was. Luckily, there was only a spot less than a centimeter in radius.

      “Avery?”

      She looked up and saw him standing by the bed.

      “I’m sorry,” she cried, sounding afraid. “You’re sheets. I ruined them.”

      Minho’s face fell when he saw the bloodstains on the sheets she was holding up, quickly, he correcting his expression when she curled into herself.

      “I’ll wash them. I’ll get you new sheets,” she promised.

      “Why are you worried about the sheets? You just…I just…” He couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that she was actually a virgin, especially with how she behaved during foreplay and the blow job. “Are you okay?”

      “I’m fine. It’s not a big deal,” she mumbled, embarrassed. “You don’t have to be weird about it.”

      He smiled in a regretful kind of way. It must have hurt and he was too caught up in his own pleasure to even notice that she was uncomfortable. He could have been gentler. First times are supposed to be special.

      She was watching him carefully and her frown deepened. “You don’t have to be weird about it,” she repeated.

      “It’s just that you remember your first time for the rest of your life,” he frowned. He crawled closer to her but didn’t touch her and she couldn’t help feeling bad about that. “If I had known I would have been…”

      She looked away, muttering a small apology.

      “Babe,” he finally took her in his arms. “I’m the one who should be sorry.”

      She nuzzled deeper into his embrace, closing her eyes. “You didn’t know,” she whispered. “I should have told you but I was afraid you wouldn’t want to have sex with me if I did.”

      He placed a kiss on her forehead. “I don’t know to say. Thank you? For wanting your first time to be with me.” He kissed her again and again and again until she laughed.

      “Okay, Okay,” she pushed away from him, stretching her hand out for the wet towel. She wiped herself down, grimacing at the red stains on the white cloth. When she was done, he took the towel away from her and threw it in the direction of the clothes hamper. He lay down close to her, finding her hand, and interlacing their fingers. They stayed like that for a while, looking at each other, smiling intermittently.

      “I think I - ,” Minho started but he swallowed the rest of his words.

      Avery smiled to down play the lines furrowed on her brow. “What?”

      Minho shook his head. “Nothing.” She pouted. He leaned in and kissed it. “So what exactly did you mean when you said you were technically a virgin?”

      Avery scrunched her face. “I’ve had sex before just not with boys.” She watched for his reaction, like she was worried. “There was this girl in my neighborhood and we both liked anime. So every Saturday we’d meet at my place to binge watch the anime channel and sometimes we’d fuck.”

      “Wow,” he said.

      “Yeah. So what about you? Your first time.”

      Minho wrinkled his brow, like that was the last thing he wanted to talk about but it was only fair since she shared with him her first time. “Um, we were friends.”

      When it didn’t seem like he would say anything else, she prompted, “So like friends with benefits?”

      “No,” he immediately denied it. “It was more than that. We were each other’s firsts. I bought her flowers on Valentine’s Day, she made me chocolate on White Day; basically a couple without the title.”

      That’s what Key must have meant when he said that Minho was a laid back kind of guy in relationships. “So what happened?”

      “We ended up going to different universities.”

      “Could you have not done the long distance thing?”

      He sucked in air. “No, I don’t do the long distance thing.”

      Avery shrugged. “Maybe when you graduate you two could pick up where you left off.”

      Minho had a strange look on his face. He sighed. “I’m pretty tired. We should get some sleep.”

      Avery nodded in agreement, snuggling closer to him.

      “Avery?”

      “Hmm?”

      “I’ll be better next time,” he mumbled into her hair.


	16. In The Way They Knew

      It had been six weeks since Avery and Minho started dating and things were going great. Well mostly. Avery could have done without Amber's laments about how 'her baby girl was now a woman' and the badgering texts from Victoria, like the one just then reminding her that the deadline for the next issue of Locker Room was at midnight.

      Avery frowned at the notification before deleting it. She and Amber had completed the final chapter of their story: Marcus and Kieran got caught fucking in the locker room, the following weeks were rough, including suspension but in the end, they weathered the storm together.

      Avery still wasn’t sure if she was going to submit it.

      "Is something wrong?" Minho asked.

      "No," she answered, trying not to look as guilty as she felt. "Just mom." She lied.

       Minho laughed. By her intonation of 'mom' he knew she was referring to Amber. She rolled her eyes, pulling her hair up in a bun, just catching the strange look that crossed Minho's face.

      "What was that face?" she asked.

      He balked. "What face?"

      "That face right now. You made a face."

      "I didn't make a face," he said defensively.

      "Babe," she said in the tone she knew he liked.

      He sighed. "You do that - tie your hair up in a bun – every time you’re about give me head," he whispered the last part even though there was no one at the Obscure Cup that early in the morning. Avery didn't like her hair in her face and so she was always pulling her hair up. That Minho made the association between her putting her hair in a bun and blowjobs was something she'd file for future use.

      "Really?" she smirked, running her foot up and down his leg.

      "Stop," he growled but her foot just rose higher up his leg.

      "What else turns you on?"

      He caught her foot just before it made contact with his rousing member.

      "Tell me," Avery pouted in the way she knew he couldn't stand.

      Minho groaned. "I like the positions where I can see my dick go in and out of you."

      Avery's eyes widened, her face stuck between shock and embarrassment. She remembered how touched out Minho looked that time he fucked her on his and Key's dining table. Usually he'd try to wait to come after her but that day he had barely entered her when the grip he had on her thigh tightened.

      Minho must have read her face wrong because he hastily added, "I also like the times when we look in each other's eyes."

      Avery sniggered. "I'm going to miss you, Choi Minho."

      There was an away basketball tournament and Minho was going to be away till Sunday.

      "You make it sound like I'll be gone for weeks. It's just four days."

      "I know," she shrugged, glum. "It's just the first time we'll be apart since... getting together." Even though his friends considered her his girlfriend, Minho was still to refer to her as such.

      Minho had one of his strange looks as he surveyed her. "You're cute when you're nervous."

      She stuck her tongue out at him.

      "Couldn't you just skip your morning class?" he pouted in the way he knew never worked on her.

      She looked like she was considering it but she had a physics test that morning and as it was, she was barely passing the class. _That damn physics class!_ "I can't but don't worry, we're going to have a lot of sex when you get back."

      He smiled fondly at her. "I'm going to miss you too, Avery Talbot." It's as close to saying I like you that either one of them have gotten.


	17. The Worst That Could Happen

     The worst thing that could have happened in school happened – Avery called one of her teachers ‘mommy’. It was her creative writing workshop and in her defense, the workshop classroom was situated near the English building’s boiler room.  The heat from that room made her drowsy after a particularly big lunch with Amber and Krystal. There was also the fact that she had stayed up all night texting with Minho. So when Mrs. Benson barked her full name, in the way parents usually do, she startled, responding “Yes, mommy!”

      At first, Mrs. Benson was taken aback then she sniggered behind her hands when a look of abject horror colored Avery’s face. A ripple effect of laughter rocked the classroom at Avery who was shaking her head in hopes that it was a bad daydream. It was not and she knew it wasn’t when a look of pity appeared on Mrs. Benson’s face. Avery’s eyes pleaded to be excused and with a small nod, the graying woman agreed. It wouldn’t have been so bad if Jonghyun wasn’t there; doubled over with laughter, his shining eyes, promising her that she would not live this down.  

      “Worst thing ever!” Addie groaned when she saw the text from Taemin. At least, she consoled herself, Amber wasn’t there to hear it otherwise the next few weeks would have been unbearable.  She figured Jonghyun must have shared her embarrassment when she saw a text from Minho asking her to meet him at his place.

      She had prepared herself for an evening of teasing so she was taken aback by the serious demeanor with which Minho greeted her. She didn’t comment, though, as she followed him into the apartment. She figured he was still sulky from the semi-final loss at the inter-collegiate basketball tournament.

      All life ceased for Avery: sound stopped, time stopped, her breathing stopped. On the dining table were copies of the Locker Room manga. She had been wrong. Calling her workshop instructor ‘mommy’ was not the worst thing that could have happened.

      “What is this?” She had fooled herself into believing that Minho would never find out about the manga or her role in producing it.

      “I was hoping you would tell me,” Minho returned. His voice and face were neutral as he watched her.

      Avery tried to smile but she found that her facial muscles were not up to the task. “Me? Why would I know anything about that?”

      “Are we really going to play this game?” Minho hissed.

      Avery swallowed. “What game?”

      “YOU TOLD SOME MANGA WRITER ABOUT KIBUM’S SCAR!”

      Avery startled at the outburst and seeing her frightened reaction, Minho relented a little.

      “Well?” he pressed for an answer.

      Avery opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off. “And don’t lie to me.” There was a hardness his in voice that froze the blood in her veins.

      Avery couldn’t really say anything. She recalled the conversation the night of their first date when Minho talked about how he and Key became friends; that the scar on Key’s right thigh was forever a mark of his shame because he was there when Key got it but hadn’t done anything to stop it.

      “How did you get these?” Avery asked quietly.

      He gave her a look that was both incredulous and angry. “Is that what you have to say to me?”

      Avery didn’t dare look up.

      “Well if you must know. Some girl, holding a copy of this trash, went up to Kibum at the coffee cup and asked if he and I really fucked each other.”

      “And what makes you think I have anything to do with it?”

      It was the wrong thing to say because Minho just exploded. “BECAUSE YOU’RE THE ONLY OTHER PERSON WHO KNOWS ABOUT THE SCAR. Do you think I would tell anyone about the scar or Jonghyun or Jinki?”

      Avery knew she should just confess but the words were sticking to her throat.

      “Is this why you got close to me? So you can write the shit?”

      “Close to you?” Avery contested hotly. She had not right to get angry with him but she didn’t like that he was shouting at her. No one had ever shouted at her before. “You were the one who insisted we become friends. I did not want to be friends with you for precisely this reason.”

      “How fucking noble of you,” he spat, eyes hard. There was a moment of silence before Minho spoke again, “Oh my god! _You_ are the manga writer. It fucking makes sense. I never knew understood why you pretended not to know the school’s mascot or that I played center even though you came to almost every game we played. It was all for your manga.”

      Avery exhaled slowly, trying to get to that space in her head where all was a vacuum of silence.

      “So, is this how you see me; a fucking slut who sucks the dicks of my teammates?” He threw the copy he was holding at her, hitting her cheek as she her head just in time. It was opened to a rather graphic depiction of Marcus giving his rival Simon Ward a congratulatory blowjob; the same issue she had been reading when they first met.

      Avery started to deny that it was even Minho in the picture but the likeness was too realistic. It was the same eyes in a half lidded gaze, the same jet black hair in the rival’s fist, the same blush colored lips overstretched on a large, veiny dick, the same jaw dribbling with spittle.

      “No.”

      “I don’t suck my teammate’s dicks.”

      “I know.”

      “Then why did you draw me like this?” His voice cracked, like he was on the verge of tears.

      Technically she didn’t draw him but that was a moot point and she wasn’t going to get Amber involved in this.

      “I don’t know,” she answered softly. It was not good enough but it was all she had.

      “Get out!” Minho hissed.

      Instead, Avery froze in place until he yelled at her again to get out. She was in a daze as she made her way to the bus stop on the main street. There was an old lady waiting there and Avery tried hard not to fall apart but in the end she couldn’t control her trembling as she slid to the ground, banging her head against the bus schedule pole.


	18. Things Fall Apart

       Amber sighed at the sobbing pile under the duvet as she dropped Avery’s homework on her bed. For the last three days, she had been dropping and collecting Avery’s school work for her, offering the ‘family emergency’ excuse. In that time, Avery hadn’t spoken to anyone. She had barely eaten.

       Just then Avery’s phone rang and the covers flew off the bed in hopes that it was Minho returning her calls. It wasn’t. It was Key and Avery just couldn’t deal with him. She handed the phone to Amber with pleading eyes.

      “This is Avery’s roommate speaking -”

      “I know she’s there,” Key’s voice boomed through the speaker. “Put her on the phone.”

      Amber looked at Avery who shook her head. “I’m sorry but -”

      “Seriously?” Key interrupted again. “She’s just going to hide like this?”

      “Look, I know you have a right to be angry but I’m only protecting my friend,” Amber snapped.

      “I told her,” Key’s voice got louder. “I told her to leave him alone if she wasn’t serious about him and she promised me she wouldn’t hurt him. She promised but what does she do?”

      “More than anyone, Avery knows what she has done. She feels really badly about it. She hasn’t spoken to anyone since -”

      “I can’t,” Key huffed before he hung up.

      Amber glared at the phone before turning to Avery, whose eyes were crumbling with the weight of unshed tears. Amber immediately folded her roommate in her arms, rubbing a soothing hand down her back.

      “Just give it time,” Amber advised. “Things will work out.”

      Avery only sobbed harder. Not once since the whole thing blew over had Amber said ‘I told you so’.

      “Do you want me to stay with you? I can cancel tonight with Krystal. She understands.”

      Avery pushed away from Amber. As grateful as she was for Amber’s understanding, sometimes it only made her feel worse. “No, go for your date,” she said. “I’ll probably just work on my assignments and sleep.”

      Amber looked torn.

      “Go,” Avery insisted. To seal the deal she asked Amber to bring back a piece of cheesecake. She hadn’t been eating well and Amber would see an increasing appetite as a good sign.

      “Okay,” Amber agreed. “But if you need anything call me, alright?”

      Avery rolled her red, swollen eyes. “Yes, mom.”

      As soon as Amber left, Avery burrowed into her sheets, taking her phone with her. She didn’t think Minho would pick up her call – he hadn’t picked up the last nine times she’d called - but she didn’t know what else to do.

      After the third ring, she heard Minho’s familiar deep tone on the other end of the line; only this time there wasn’t a smirk in it.

      “Hello?”

      Avery hesitated. Now that she had him on the line, she couldn’t think why she called him. “Um, hi! It’s me. It’s Avery.”

      “I know,” came the cold response then silence.

      “How are you? “Avery asked. She heard a rustling sound in the background and a heavy sigh but Minho said nothing. “I wanted to apologize for the manga. I should have told you about it. You should know that I ended the story.” Her previous nine messages said the exact same thing.

      All Avery would hear was Minho’s stilted breathing.

      “Minho?”

      “I’m still here.”

      “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

      “That was the manga you were reading the day we met, wasn’t it?”

      “Yes,” Avery answered carefully.

      “I’ve read the whole thing. Is that the impression you had of me?”

      Avery’s heart suddenly felt heavy and she started to apologize again.

      “You’ve said that already,” Minho snapped. “Doesn’t change the fact that that is what you thought of me.”

      “It’s not,” Avery insisted pleadingly.

      “Then why did you draw me like that?”

      “I don’t know,” Avery sighed. More and more, she was feeling that it was a mistake calling him. “It wasn’t personal. I didn’t know you when I started the story. I didn’t think I’d ever meet you let alone like you.” She heard him take in a sharp breath. “I wanted to stop. I tried to stop but… but maybe it would have been better if we’d never met.”

      “Okay,” Minho said sounding like the breath had been knocked out of his lungs. “But tell me one thing because I’m going crazy here.”

      “Yeah,”

      “That night, when – when we had sex for the first time, was that real? Was that for us or were you…?”

      Avery felt as though the knife in her chest had been twisted, releasing with the pain a fresh wave of tears. She couldn’t blame him for thinking everything about their relationship was a ruse in order to get close to him and she had no right to prioritize her pain over his but that question hurt her deeply. She tried to say something but every time she opened her mouth a sob leaped out.

      “I’m sorry,” Minho said, after her several failed attempts to answer him.

      “For what?” Avery breathed.

      “For making you hang out with me,” and he hang up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! I finished my first ever chaptered fanfiction. I know it could be better and after some time passes I'll go back and add stuff to make the story more compelling. Even though I swore at the beginning that it would be my last, I really enjoyed the process and am actually considering writing another one. 
> 
> This was also my first Minho fanfiction and I don't know why I waited so long to write him because he was a lot of fun to write. I worried in the beginning because Minho isn't my bias and I've never really paid attention to his nuances. But then ODD came out and his arms came out (bonafide bias ruiner) and then the legendary SNL Korea Skit '8th Grade Illness Brothers' and I was able to get a feel for his character or at least his image character. Either way, this is just fiction so it shouldn't have mattered either way.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who read and subscribed. I know OC SHINee fanfics are not really popular in this fandom so I really appreciate the views. Now I'm off to listen that song. HAHA.
> 
> p.s. There is an epilogue to this story but I'm still deciding if posting it will add to the story or not.


	19. That Damn Physics Class

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh! So I decided to just go ahead and post the epilogue. Hope it's not too lame.

      Avery cussed as her mother fussed over her cap and gown for the fifth time. It was summer and she just wanted to get out of the cheap, black material but her mother insisted on taking twenty thousand photos in front of the school’s insignia. She looked to her father for help but he pretended to be interested in the floor.

      “Coward,” she hissed and signed at him.                                                                            

      He only laughed silently at her.                                                                                             

      The graduation ceremony ended fifteen minutes ago but the auditorium was still buzzing with proud parents and excited students. Usually situations like this would have been anxiety inducing for Avery but when she looked around she noticed that no one was really paying any attention to them.

      “Mom, I think that’s enough,” Avery said, taking off her cap and thanking the kind stranger who had been taking their photos after Amber went to say hello to some of her art major juniors. Even though Amber had graduated the previous year, she insisted on coming to Avery’s graduation ceremony despite skipping her own ceremony. She said it was to experience it vicariously through Avery but really she wanted to be introduced to Avery’s parents as the second mom.

      “Avery?”

      Avery froze when she heard her name. It had been two years since she’d that voice call her name. She must have looked frightened because her father was giving her a stern look.

      “Hey!” she managed to say despite the flurry of butterfly activity in her chest. She didn’t know if she should hug him or shake his hand so she smiled for a smile.

      “Congratulations,” Minho said. He looked gorgeous, Avery noted. His eyes shining and his smile bright “Are these your parents?” he asked gesturing towards the tall, hipster looking couple.

      Avery looked at her parents as though she was seeing them for the first time. They were acting strange. Her father suddenly had over-protective airs and her mother was shamelessly ogling Minho. Doubtless she recognized K.U.’s four time Athlete of the Year, graduating Sports Science with honors.

      “No,” she lied. “Yes,” she corrected after her mother pinched her arm, reminding her that they could read lips. “Yes, these are my parents. Olivia and James Talbot.”

      “It’s nice to meet you,” Minho bowed and shook their hands.

      For several embarrassing moments the four of them just stood in the middle of the thinning auditorium crowd looking at each other before Avery signed to her parents that she’d meet them outside. She had thought that it would be her mother who would feign ignorance but as it was, her mother had to drag her father out.

      “Congratulations,” Avery turned back to Minho, clasping her right hand in her left because it was shaking badly. “I heard you’re going pro.”

      “Maybe,” he replied. “I still have to clear some tests to make sure my injury’s completely healed.”

      Minho had torn a ligament during his third Athlete of the Year campaign and it had been dogging him ever since. Avery followed every development at a distance; from his missed opportunity at being scouted last year, his rally back to health and finally his victory at the inter-collegiate basketball tournament where he was name MVP.

      She hazarded a glance up at him and was met with an intense stare.

      “So, physics?” Minho said just when she was about to excuse herself. “Jonghyun said you changed majors.”

      It was why she was graduating a year later. Amber had raged against her changing major and had even stopped talking to her for a while because of it. “Yeah,” she croaked. “Turns out I’m actually really good it if I apply myself.”

      “Jonghyun said you were also good at writing.”

      Avery swallowed the hard lump in her throat. “Yeah, well career-wise, I wasn’t going to make a lot of money with an English degree,” she said as cheerfully as she could but her voice cracked in the end.

      He frowned deeply. “You didn’t really change majors because of what happened?”

      “Wow, it’s really hot in here,” she smiled, blinking back tears. She started gathering her hair to pull in a bun but then stopped upon remembering that it turned him on. At least it did, two years ago.

      He smiled a sad sort of smile. “Maybe if you’re not busy we could get a cup of coffee.”

      Avery’s filled widened to fill half her face. “Why are you being nice to me?” she asked.

      He shrugged, chuckling. “Maybe I’m just a nice guy,” he replied. “Maybe I can’t stop thinking you.”


End file.
